


Keeping A Comfortable Distance

by Poochee



Category: Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction, Thor (Movies) RPF
Genre: Confrontations, Implied Relationships, M/M, Multi, Prompt Fic, Reunions, idk what to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-27
Updated: 2014-03-27
Packaged: 2018-01-17 04:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1373725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poochee/pseuds/Poochee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i> “You pretty much said I sent you nudes, mate."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Tom sputters for a moment and the blond laughs, hearty and just so Chris. He laughs in the way that warms Tom against the cool wind grazing his cheeks.</i>
</p>
<p><i>“Well, you </i>did <i> send me a picture of you washing Indy in the shower! Elsa just sent a little </i>too<i> much…”</i></p>
<p>
  <i>It wasn’t like it was the first time he saw Chris naked, anyway. </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping A Comfortable Distance

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous asked you:  
> Hiddlesworth prompt; Chris confronting Tom for the thing Tom said about seeing Chris naked
> 
> there you are, anon!! 2nd Hiddlesworth fic, hopefully it's alright ^^;

A chance run-in on the street. It must be fate. Tom had been leaving his shoot for ELLE, high on the adrenaline that came with meeting new people and doing a fun photo shoot. He had planned on a quiet lunch in a café, but Chris Hemsworth came out of nowhere and called his name from almost all the way down the street, startling him to his very core.

It’s been  _months_  since they’ve last seen one another, yet it’s like they just spoke yesterday. They wear big matching grins and pull each other in for a hug, lingering for longer than something friendly, and create just enough space so that Tom can watch Chris’ too-blue eyes trail over him and then clap him on the shoulder in some kind of approval.

“How’ve you been, mate?” The good-natured Aussie asks, his accent a lovely little drawl that promises a teasing and friendly visit.

Tom can’t wipe the grin from his face, his eyes are wide and glittering, “I’ve been great! Yeah, totally great, busy and having a fun time. What about you? How’re the girls?” He has to ask about them; he adores them probably just as much as Chris.

The blond’s muscled arm wraps around his shoulders, pulling him in close and leading them down the street. It’s a sunny afternoon with a cool breeze in LA, perfect for walking.

“They’ve been good,” he hums, feeling Tom’s arm wrap around his waist like it usually does for photo shoots. He loves the way Tom gently presses his fingers into his side, as if holding on and making sure the Aussie doesn't float away. “I’m heading back home tomorrow, actually. I have some things to do in the morning and thought that staying in a hotel room would be easier. What about you? What’s Hiddleston got to do down in Malibu?”

Tom gives a soft ‘ehehe’ laugh, a signature little sound that Chris adores as much as Indy’s giggles, but in an entirely different way, “I just finished up a photo shoot, I was going to grab some lunch.” His next words come without much thought, “Would you like to join me?”

Chris answers without much thought, either, “Yeah, mate, totally. Where were you thinkin’?”

Tom spares a glance over at Chris, and sees the Aussie staring at him. His cheeks flush just the tiniest bit and he feels foolish, “Um, just down the street somewhere? I hadn’t picked or planned…”

An infectious grin appears on Chris’ lips, “An adventure, then!” He says, in a way that Tom loves. It’s that childish attitude in Chris that he really loves, some boyish way of thinking that’s mixed with a strong, masculine figure. It’s undeniable and perfect. Tom feels a bit of envy surge through him, but lets it go.

“Yes, an adventure,” he agrees with a soft chuckle, and he’s happy that Chris doesn’t let up his hold as they continue their way down the street.

\--

They laugh and chat like old friends. Chris has a salad with grilled chicken, while Tom settles for a soup and sandwich, not wanting to make the Aussie jealous by ordering a steak sandwich with extra chips. No, he knows Chris has to build up his muscles with the right kind of protein, but judging by the size of his arms, Tom doesn’t think he needs to add any more.

“So, what were you doing the shoot for?” Chris asks, spearing a strip of chicken with his fork, still chewing a little because who would Chris be if he didn’t break table mannerisms just a little.

Tom suddenly feels himself become a little shy, his head ducking a little as his cheeks colour, and Chris smirks as he stuffs a forkful of leafy greens into his mouth. They stare at one another, one shy and the other goading with his eyebrows, a silent conversation that they've perfected over the years.

“I was named ELLE’s Man of the Year,” he finally admits, meekly, because he’s Tom Hiddleston and it’s an honour that he’s embarrassed about, because he doesn’t see why he’s so sought after by women.

Chris, on the other hand, looks surprised and delighted, “No shit,” he chuckles, wiping his mouth with a napkin, “Well, I guess I can’t blame them,” he says with just a hint of teasing, but there’s something in his eyes that says he’s not joking, “You are very popular these days.”

Tom feels his blush spread down to his neck, and he tries to laugh it off, reaching back to scratch at his hairline, “Yeah, people love Loki…you of all people know all about that.” He tries to joke, but he knows it’s a bit of a sore spot for them both. They love one another’s characters and hate to see one favoured over the other.

Still, Chris smirks, and he leans in with this familiar look on his face that sends a little thrill up Tom’s spine, “Yeah, but they voted for  _you_ , mate, not Loki.”

He doesn’t know what to say. His breath is caught in his throat, and the longer Chris looks at him like that, the more Tom is making a fool of himself. Finally, he clears his throat and smiles, tight-lipped and eyes down at his soup, “I suppose.”

Chris leans back in his seat, picking up his glass of water and eyeing Tom from over the rim. “You suppose?” He echoes.

“Well,” Tom shifts in his seat, licking his thin lips as he flicks his eyes to Chris’ before looking around the café, “I can’t seem to understand what people find attractive about me…I’m just a regular looking guy.” Unlike the man across from him, the Adonis statue come to life.

Chris sets his glass down and lifts his eyebrows up, flicking his eyes to Tom’s once more. There’s a look in them again, a steely blue instead of the electric tone that Tom’s so used to seeing. He knows those eyes far too well, but it’s almost alien-like to see them outside of a dimly lit hotel room.

“Well,” Chris drawls, possibly mocking Tom, “I know someone who would think differently…” And Tom feels the tip of Chris’ shoe slide up his calf, pressing against his jeans, and his cheeks flush once more.

“Of  _course_  you do,” he breathes, exasperated, and he clears his throat again as he moves his leg away, “I just can’t believe you.”

Chris’ eyebrow quirks again, recognizing the hidden challenge, his almost-finished salad forgotten, “Why?”

“Because we’re in public.”

A look dawns on Chris' face, “ _Oh._ ”

“Yeah,  _oh._ ”

Chris’ eyes are shining with mirth, his lips curled in a little devilish smile. They have this connection, something special, where they can have two conversations at once and it sometimes comes in handy. Like now.

“I  _do_  have a hotel room, Tom...”

So much for their 'secret' conversation. The Brit’s eyes widen and he looks almost scandalized, and Chris laughs at him.

“You’re joking.”

“And if I’m not?”

Tom bites his lip, and Chris offers to pay.

\--

They go for a little walk after lunch, keeping a little distance between them.

“Oh,” Chris breaks a little silent spell, sounding as if he remembered something, “You saw me naked, then?”

Tom can’t help the nervous giggles that erupt from him, like they had on the show, except this time he can’t hide in his own lap. Instead, his cheeks turn a familiar shade of red and he nods, guilty, “You saw it, then?”

“Oh yeah,” the Aussie smirks, admiring the colour on his friend’s cheeks, “I had someone  _ask_  me about it.”

The Brit looks scandalized yet again, and just like before, Chris can’t stop his laughter.

“ _No._ ”

“Yes.”

“Who?!”

“It was at Comic Con, during a panel. I thought it was weird, but then I came home and Elsa showed me the video. You acted like a damn schoolgirl!”

They both laugh, and Tom even pushes Chris playfully, making the Aussie step out of line. He comes back with a grin and shoulders the other man back.

“You pretty much said I sent you nudes, mate."

Tom sputters for a moment and the blond laughs, hearty and just so  _Chris_. He laughs in the way that warms Tom against the cool wind grazing his cheeks.

“Well, you  _did_  send me a picture of you washing Indy in the shower! Elsa just sent a little  _too_  much…”

It wasn’t like it was the first time he saw Chris naked, anyway. Chris was always sending him little pictures of India or himself with her, even Elsa's growing stomach. Tom loved it, even if he felt a little guilty about Elsa, despite her assurance that everything was fine with her.

He just couldn’t believe it. She was amazing; understanding to a degree that Tom can’t even being to comprehend. He’s just so happy he can have the three of them in his life like this, something a little closer than best friends but not crossing the line that Elsa and Chris are behind.

He’s come close a few times, but had to pull himself back. There was only so much he could do before things became risky and unbalanced.

Chris shrugs good-naturedly and looks to Tom. Their eyes catch, and they smile in the way that they did back on the set of  _Thor_ , when they first realized that they were inching towards that thing called ‘love’. It's bittersweet; a lemon dipped in chocolate.

“Come back with me?” Chris murmurs suddenly, his fingers brushing the Brit’s palm gently.

Tom swallows a breath of air, thinking of the other man's warm body between his thighs, a comforting weight that he's missed, “To the hotel?”

Chris nods, “For the night. I’ll take you back with me tomorrow, for a visit.”

The way his whole body warms with happiness is enough to make Tom melt. He smiles and takes Chris’ searching fingers, intertwining them with his own, “Lead the way, darling.”

Chris smiles wide and lifts his arm, hailing a passing cab while he smoothes the pad of his thumb over the soft skin of Tom’s hand.


End file.
